The Gulf Coast stretches across the beaches on Florida's northern Panhandle area and western side of the state. Vacationers travel to this area for beach activities, deep-sea fishing and boating excursions. Some of the major cities that are located along the Gulf Coast include Tampa, Pensacola and Naples. Hotels and resorts in these cities provide access to the beaches of the Gulf of Mexico, as well as recreational areas, such as Apalachicola National Forest.
The Hilton in Destin's Sandestin Beach Resort is located on Florida's Emerald Coast area, approximately an hour east of Pensacola. This hotel is only a 10-minute walk from the four 18-hole golf courses on the resort's property and a 15-minute drive from shopping opportunities at the Silver Sands Factory Outlet Mall. Amenities at this hotel include two outdoor swimming pools and one indoor swimming pool, 15 tennis courts and a business center with fax services. The hotel's spa, Serenity by the Sea, offers massage therapies and facial treatments.
The restaurant has four on-site restaurants: Seagar's, Hadashi, Sandcastles and Barefoots. The fine-dining establishment, Seagar's, features seafood and steak dinners, while Hadashi offers sushi specialties. American fare, including hamburgers, and seafood dishes, are served at the Sandcastles and Barefoots restaurants. Hadashi and Seagar's are only open for dinner, while Sandcastles and Barefoots are open for lunch and dinner. Sandcastles also serves breakfast.
Each of the guest rooms at the Hilton includes a private balcony, a sitting area with a sofa bed, cable television, a refrigerator and a microwave. Some of the suites include bunk beds for children, a living room and a dining area. All guest rooms have complimentary access to Wi-Fi Internet.
Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa
4000 Sandestin Blvd. S.
Destin, FL 32550
850-267-1816
sandestinbeachhilton.com
The Best Western in Dunedin rests on St. Joseph Sound, less than five miles from the Gulf Coast and recreational facilities such as cycling paths at Caladesi Island State Park. The hotel is less than 45 minutes west of Tampa and features a marina for boating and fishing. Other hotel amenities include an outdoor swimming pool, a business center with fax services, a fitness center and a fine-dining restaurant, Bon Appetite, that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Guest rooms include a private patio or balcony, satellite television, a microwave and a refrigerator. Some of the rooms have a sofa bed and a mini-bar.
Best Western Yacht Harbor Inn
150 Marina Plaza
Dunedin, FL 34698
727-733-4121
bestwestern.com
The Marriott on Marco Island is approximately 30 minutes south of Naples and a 25-minute drive to Collier-Seminole State Park, a recreational area that features hiking trails and picnic facilities. This resort has been awarded a four-diamond rating by AAA and features an 18-hole golf course and spa that offers Balinese massage therapies. Other hotel amenities include a private beach on the Gulf of Mexico, two outdoor swimming pools, a fitness center and an on-site restaurant, Tropiks, that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Many of the resort's guest rooms include a king-sized bed, a private balcony, satellite television and access to Wi-Fi Internet. All of the rooms are nonsmoking facilities.
Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort
400 S. Collier Blvd.
Marco Island, FL 34145
239-394-2511
marriott.com
The Island Hotel, situated in the town of Cedar Key, was built in 1859 and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This hotel is a five-minute walk to the Gulf Coast beach, as well as annual festivals that occur in Cedar Key, such as the Seafood Festival and Cedar Key Arts Festival. The hotel offers a complimentary gourmet breakfast and has an on-site fine-dining restaurant that serves dinner on Tuesdays through Sundays. The 10 guest rooms at Island Hotel include king-sized or queen-sized beds and private bathrooms and are furnished with antique furniture. This resort is an approximate two-hour drive north of Tampa.
Island Hotel & Restaurant
373 2nd St.
Cedar Key, FL 32625
352-543-5111
islandhotel-cedarkey.com
